Therapeutic Potential of Bioactive Peptides Derived from Natural Products of Tortoiseshell and Antler in Alleviating Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis

Tortoiseshell and antler, the main components of Guilu Erxian Jiao, are natural products that can be used as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to alleviate osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. However, research on the active ingredients in tortoiseshell and antler for alleviating osteoporosis and osteoarthritis remains insufficient. This study primarily compares the antioxidant capacity of tortoiseshell gelatin and antler gelatin and their bioactive peptides, as well as their effects on the cell viability of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts and HIG-82 chondrocytes. Our results indicate that when tortoiseshell and antler are combined with their respective bioactive peptides, the antioxidant capacity and cell viability of osteoblasts and chondrocytes are superior to the effects of either used alone. Comparing the antioxidant capacity and cell viability of osteoblasts and chondrocytes of tortoiseshell and antler and their respective bioactive peptides when used alone, we found that tortoiseshell and its bioactive peptides have better cell viability and calcium deposition for osteoblasts compared to the antler and its bioactive peptides. Conversely, antler and its bioactive peptides exhibit stronger antioxidant capacity and better cell viability for chondrocytes than tortoiseshell and its bioactive peptides. These results suggest that the alleviation of osteoporosis may mainly be attributed to tortoiseshell and its bioactive peptides, while the alleviation of osteoarthritis may mainly be attributed to antler and its bioactive peptides. When tortoiseshell and antler are used together, they can provide the best therapeutic effects for both osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.